ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- The College of Saint Benedict softball team (2-6) will host Coe College (11-3) in a nonconference doubleheader at 5/7 p.m., on Saturday, March 23 at the Husky Dome on the campus of St. Cloud State University. Originally, the CSB-Coe College doubleheader was scheduled to be held at the CSB Softball Field. However, due to inclement weather, it was moved to the Husky Dome.

Saint Benedict opens season with top-five schedule
The Bennies have faced one of the toughest schedules in NCAA DIII with six games of eight played against teams ranked in the NFCA NCAA DIII top 20. Among its two wins, CSB had a walk-off 11-9 win over then No. 12 Belhaven as Olivia Tautges hit a dramatic three-run, game-winning home run. In addition, the Bennies recorded a 5-4 win over Emory University of March 7 as Olivia Wallace recorded her first win of her career. Following the doubleheader with Coe College, CSB is scheduled to face Wartburg College on Friday, March 29 in Waverly, Iowa. On March 30, CSB is set to face No. 24 Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Inside Look at the Bennies
Directed by 12th-year head coach Rachael Click (273 career wins), Saint Benedict has opened 2-6. The Bennies, which is led by Maddy Kubik's .412 batting average, are hitting .240 as a team. Sophomore infielder Cat Smetana is batting .360 with a .480 slugging percentage and is tied for the team lead with four RBI. Senior Bryn Carlstrom is hitting .333 with four RBI while senior Tori Benson is at .333 with a .364 OBP. In addition, sophomore Bryn Ruhberg has a .308 batting average. In the circle, CSB is led by Olivia Wallace with a 1-3 record, three complete games, and 13 strikeouts. Junior pitcher Addy Bowne has a 1-0 record with three strikeouts in seven innings.

Notes on Coe College
Coe College is directed by head coach Jake Colbeck, who has a 50-14 record in his nine seasons. The Kohawks, which stand 11-3 overall, has won seven straight games, including a 4-3 win over Westfield State on March 15 in Fort Meyers, Fla. In 14 games, Skyler Stookey leads the team with a .442 average, slugging five home runs and driving in 15 runs with a .953 slugging mark. Heather Boeckenstedt is hitting .432 while Shaylee Dodd has a .422 average. The pitching staff is led by Ellie Thurow with a 7-1 record and 1.49 ERA.

Series Notes
In the all-time series, CSB and Coe College have split a pair of games. The Bennies took a 6-2 win in Rochester on Feb. 27, 2016 before falling, 13-1, on March 7, 2018 in Tucson, Ariz.

Season Review (Click on link below for recap and box score)

March 2 - Mary Hardin Baylor 5 Saint Benedict 1
March 2 - No. 1 Trine 6 Saint Benedict 0
March 3 - No. 8 Christopher Newport 10 Saint Benedict 6
March 3 -- Saint Benedict 11 No. 12 Belhaven 9
March 4 - No. 3 Berry 6 Saint Benedict 3 (G1)
March 4 - No. 3 Berry 4 Saint Benedict 3 (G2)
March 7 - Emory 10 Saint Benedict 10 (G1)
March 7 - Saint Benedict 5 Emory 4 (G2)